The Circular Staircase (Chapter 9, page 1 of 9)

"Aunt Ray!" Halsey said from the gloom behind the lamps. "What in theworld are you doing here?"

"Taking a walk," I said, trying to be composed. I don't think theanswer struck either of us as being ridiculous at the time. "Oh,Halsey, where have you been?"

"Let me take you up to the house." He was in the road, and had Beulahand the basket out of my arms in a moment. I could see the car plainlynow, and Warner was at the wheel--Warner in an ulster and a pair ofslippers, over Heaven knows what. Jack Bailey was not there. I gotin, and we went slowly and painfully up to the house.

We did not talk. What we had to say was too important to commencethere, and, besides, it took all kinds of coaxing from both men to getthe Dragon Fly up the last grade. Only when we had closed the frontdoor and stood facing each other in the hall, did Halsey say anything.He slipped his strong young arm around my shoulders and turned me so Ifaced the light.

"Poor Aunt Ray!" he said gently. And I nearly wept again. "I--I mustsee Gertrude, too; we will have a three-cornered talk."

And then Gertrude herself came down the stairs. She had not been tobed, evidently: she still wore the white negligee she had worn earlierin the evening, and she limped somewhat. During her slow progress downthe stairs I had time to notice one thing: Mr. Jamieson had said thewoman who escaped from the cellar had worn no shoe on her right foot.Gertrude's right ankle was the one she had sprained!